But It's Better If You Do
by glassteapots
Summary: Kagami pines (endlessly) and Kuroko does too (silently). Odds are, they never get together. But when Aomine starts mysteriously showing up at Seiren, and Kuroko starts acting stranger than normal, Kagami realizes that something is going on. (Not until the damage is already done, of course).


I.

Kuroko could be very hard to read.

Kagami didn't like it. It made him feel on edge – made him feel like he could be fucking things up between them and never even know it. He knew, rationally, that he wasn't (Kuroko wasn't one to put up with bullshit for very long), but the thought often rattled in the corner of his mind, making him uneasy and tense.

Of course, it didn't help that for as hard as Kuroko was to read, Kagami was just as easy to read. It created an odd dynamic – Kagami rarely ever knew what Kuroko was thinking, but Kuroko almost always knew what Kagami was thinking.

"Kagami-kun, you're brooding again," Kuroko said bluntly, chin in his hand as he looked at his partner.

Case in point.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Kagami mumbled back. He unwrapped his second sandwich and looked out over the roof. It was a nice day – Kuroko had followed him up the stairs to the roof at lunchtime, as he often did, and Kagami had been enjoying the light breeze in his face and comforting presence by his side.

"Is something wrong, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko asked. _Yes._ But it was hard to talk about things like this with Kuroko.

"Nah. Just thinking," Kagami answered, waving his sandwich vaguely in the air.

"Don't hurt yourself, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, face as serious as ever.

"Fuck off Kuroko," Kagami mumbled through a mouthful of food, although a small smile crept across his face against his will.

They fell quiet again as Kagami made his way through another two sandwiches and Kuroko slowly picked at his rice. Despite being slightly off put by Kuroko at first, Kagami had quickly come to cherish spending time with him. Even when they just did things like this, sitting on the roof next to each other, only the occasional comment breaking the silence, something about spending time with Kuroko twisted up Kagami's stomach in the best way possible.

Too soon, it was time to head to class. Kagami sighed as he stood up and stretched, balling his trash up loosely. He looked back down at Kuroko, about to ask if he wanted to walk to class together, but the words caught in his throat. Kuroko was staring out into the sky, head tipped back, mouth slightly parted. The wind ruffled his hair, and the lean expanse of his neck seemed to stretch on forever.

Kagami wanted to tell him how beautiful he was.

Instead, he cleared his throat, tossed his trash into the garbage can, and helped Kuroko to his feet.

II.

Kagami was not an idiot, despite what many apparently thought. He knew that most guys didn't think their best male friends were beautiful, and that most guys didn't get fluttery feelings in the pit of their stomachs when watching the wind ruffle through a boy's hair. As such, Kagami had known immediately what was going on when, at the beginning of their second year, Kuroko began to make Kagami's heart beat too fast and hands sweat too much.

For about a week he had been in a constant state of low key panic, unsure of what exactly he was supposed to do and whether this made him really totally gay or maybe just a little gay. When he hadn't been able to take it anymore, he had called Tatsuya, who had promptly laughed in his face and told him to snap out of it, because the Kagami he knew had been bisexual for _ages_ , ever since John from 5th grade had captured his poor little heart, how could he have possibly forgotten, he hadn't talked to anyone for a week after John pushed him on the playground.

Tatsuya had then gone on to say that this was fabulous news, and when was he planning to tell Kuroko? (it should really be this week, because, apparently, it was a _very_ good time for confessions, Midorima had told him Oha Asa said so, and look, he and Takao had just gotten together, and did Kagami think that he should confess to Atsushi?)

(Kagami had pretty much ignored him after that.)

Regardless, Kagami was far from denying his attraction to his best friend. He was also, however, far from deluding himself into thinking anything was ever going to come from it.

And that was the true problem with Kuroko's inexplicable control over his emotions. Kagami knew that Kuroko considered him a good friend (a best friend, even), but there was absolutely no way for Kagami to even begin to guess whether Kuroko could look at him as something other than that, and unless Kagami had complete confidence in how Kuroko felt, he wouldn't confess his feelings. No, he _couldn't_ confess his feelings.

If he confessed to Kuroko and it ruined their relationship, Kagami didn't know if he would be able to live with himself.

III.

"Aomine-kun? What are you doing here?" Kuroko's voice was soft, but the gym carried an echo of even the quietest of sounds, and most of the team stirred from where they had collapsed near the bench to glance over at the entrance.

Sure enough, Aomine was slouched in the doorway.

"I'm bored. I came to play Bakagami," Aomine winked lazily at him, and Kagami felt his face heat up a little. He scowled. His muscles ached from practice, and he was really looking forward to just going home after practice, but he would never live it down if he turned down this offer.

"You're on," Kagami shot back, and the other boy grinned. He pushed himself off the door, about to stroll further into the gym when Riko suddenly appeared in front of him

"Get out of my gym. Go back to your own practice," she said, voice even but leaving no room for argument. Aomine pulled a face.

"Sorry, Riko-san, I don't know why he does things like this," Kuroko said apologetically, inserting himself between the two and elbowing Aomine out of the door.

"Just deal with it," she replied, before turning on Kagami, eyes glinting. Kuroko discreetly slipped out of the door, closing it behind him.

"And you, _Bakagami_ , can feel free to run 15 laps now," Riko said, brandishing a basketball like a weapon. Kagami gaped.

"But… but I didn't even do anything!" He said indignantly. Riko bared her teeth.

" _Laps. Now._ " Kagami held up his hands in surrender, sighing softly. At least he wouldn't have trouble going to sleep tonight.

Kagami stretched briefly before setting off at a fast jog around the gym.

On his 11th lap, Kuroko came back in. He was frowning.

Kagami tripped.

IV.

After that, Aomine started showing up during Seirin's practice every week. He would loiter outside the gym, tossing a ball around for an hour or two until Kagami wandered out of practice, at which point he would drag him off to play one-on-one.

It was…concerning?

The second time it happened, Kagami asked Kuroko about it. He had just shrugged. There was something going on with him too, though, and it had Kagami really worried. He seemed even more withdrawn ever since Aomine started showing up. They still hung out, but Kuroko was practically a mute these days, and slowly, their dinners and study sessions after school dwindled away as Aomine started showing up more and more. Kagami always invited Kuroko to hang out with them after practice, but he would just smile apologetically and say he had to get home, that he had work or needed to make dinner.

Kagami tried to plan more afternoons with Kuroko, he really did, but playing Aomine was actually helping him improve quite a lot, and it was hard to turn down the other boy when he had come all the way to Seiren and waited for hours just to play Kagami.

Slowly, Kuroko got further and further away.

V.

Usually, Aomine and Kagami used a street court that was about five minutes from Seiren when they played. Kagami liked the reminder of America that street courts gave him, and since they weren't allowed in the gym after practice, Aomine could hardly object.

On this particular day, as they were walking toward the court, Kagami felt a fat raindrop hit his cheek. He looked up, and sure enough, the sky was dark. It looked as though the heavens were going to open up any second.

"Looks like it's about to rain," he said, and Aomine looked up, basketball spinning on his finger.

"Damn. I was looking forward to destroying you," He said, a trace of real disappointment in his voice. Kagami sympathized. It had been nearly a week since their last match, and he was itching to face someone who could handle him playing all out.

"Well, now we have to play anyway. What will everyone think if they hear I let you get away with such blatant slander?" Kagami challenged, a smirk spreading over his face. Aomine grinned at him.

They raced the rest of the way to the court. They didn't bother with warming up – there was too much of a risk they would get rained out, and Kagami knew Aomine was longing to _really_ play just as much as he was.

They hit the court running, and by the time they had scored two points each, it was finally starting to rain earnestly. Kagami could feel himself begin to slip around a little bit, but he was too wrapped up in the game to care, especially after Aomine feinted around him and slammed the ball into the basket. Kagami took off after the ball, Aomine hot on his tail, and he managed to grab it before it left the court.

He whipped around, intending to use his momentum and beat Aomine to the other side of the court, but he had misjudged just how close behind him Aomine was. Instead, his momentum carried him right into the other player, sending them both skidding across the court. Kagami's arms flailed for a second before he latched himself onto Aomine's shoulders, praying they could keep their balance. If Riko found out he had injured himself playing outdoor basketball in the rain with Aomine, god only knows how painful her wrath would be.

Once they finally slid to a stop halfway across the court, Kagami let out a shaky breath. Jesus, that had been close. Aomine was never going to let him hear the end of this.

But when he glanced up at the other player, he stopped short. Aomine's cheeks were flushed, his breath coming in short puffs, and his eyes were blown wide and locked on the hand that was still gripped in Aomine's shirt. Slowly, he looked up at Kagami. His gaze was burning hot.

"Fuck," he said in a shaky voice, "you drive me crazy," and before Kagami knew what was happening, Aomine had his hands in his hair and was kissing him like his life depended on it.

Kagami froze, dumbstruck, mouth slack and eyes wide.

That was the only reason he saw Kuroko, standing on the sidewalk, soaked to the bone, Kagami's raincoat hanging limply from his hand. Kuroko's mouth was parted, his breath a hazy fog that obscured a slight tremble in his lips. His free hand was clenched in his dripping shirt, fingernails white.

And although Kuroko looked at them for only a second, Kagami saw something that made his heart ache.

Kuroko was crying. The tears stood out starkly, even against the rain. They tumbled down his reddened cheeks and splashed to the ground, each one constricting Kagami's chest a little bit more.

But then, just as abruptly as he had appeared, he was gone, leaving only Kagami's raincoat behind, crumpled on the ground.

Kagami was jolted back to his senses. He staggered away from Aomine, mind going a million miles a minute. Aomine's eyes widened, his hands trembling, suspended in the air where Kagami had been a second ago.

"I… Aomine…" Kagami didn't know what to say, didn't know what to do. He only knew Kuroko's face, a face the said that something was very, very wrong.

"I'm sorry. I… I can't" He said finally, averting his eyes. He didn't have it in him to look at Aomine.

He sprinted off the court, leaving his jacket, and Aomine, behind.

He didn't look back.

VI.

Kagami was running blindly, rain obscuring his vision, unsure of where Kuroko had gone. He only knew that he needed to find him.

His feet led him to Seiren, and suddenly he knew where he would be.

He climbed the fire escape, taking the steps two at a time, until, panting, he burst onto the roof. Kuroko had his back to him.

"Kuroko…" Kagami breathed. Kuroko didn't move a muscle.

"Why… Kuroko, why are you crying?" Kagami took a hesitant step forward, and he could see Kuroko stiffen.

"I'm quite alright, Kagami-kun," He replied woodenly, and Kagami took another step forward.

"That's bullshit Kuroko, and you know it," Suddenly, Kagami had a realization, and it made his chest clench. But…

"Kuroko do you… do you like Aomine?" Kagami asked tentatively, before quickly continuing "It's totally fine if you do, you know I'll always support you, and I'm sure that Aomine was, I don't know, mistaken when he kissed me, we're definitely not together and…" he trailed off. Each word was like a stab to his heart, but if this was what Kuroko wanted, Kagami didn't have it in him to not support him.

Kuroko finally turned around. His eyes were red and puffy, and his nose was dripping. The rain had plastered his usually fluffy hair to his head. Every now and then a shiver would rack his body, and he was practically drowning in his sopping clothes. He looked completely miserable, and Kagami's chest constricted even more.

"Is that what Kagami-kun thinks? That I want Aomine?" Kuroko asked, voice wavering. His fingers were clenching and unclenching in the sleeves of his shirt.

"Well… yeah?" Kagami asked, hoping Kuroko wouldn't pull himself together and refuse to talk about it. Not now. He didn't want Kuroko to hide from him, not when he was so obviously hurting. He would rather die.

"Are you really so blind that you haven't seen me pining pathetically after you for a year now?" Kuroko asked softly, sniffling. His eyes were downcast, and Kagami, for the second time that day, was struck dumb.

"You… what? That's… wait. That's supposed to be my line," Kagami said slowly, trying to comprehend what was happening.

Kuroko's eyes widened and he let out a trembling breath.

"Kagami-kun… are you… ahh…" Kuroko tentatively walked toward Kagami. Something swelled up in Kagami's stomach.

"I'm… I'm in love with you Kuroko," he said shakily, heart fluttering a quick staccato in his chest. Mesmerized, he reached out to brush blue hair out of Kuroko's eyes. Kuroko breathed in sharply.

Slowly, a soft smile spread across his face. He tilted his head into Kagami's hand, finally letting the tension drain from his body

"Call me Tetsuya," he said quietly, and Kagami let out a short bark of amazed laughter. It was hard to believe that this was happening, but Kuroko – no, _Tetsuya_ – was so radiant and _real_ in front of him he had no other choice _but_ to believe. He lifted his other hand to brush Tetsuya's cheek, and finally ( _finally_ ) leaned down to brush their lips together.

It was perfect.

VII. (Coda)

"You have to talk to him, Taiga," Tetsuya needled, brushing his fingers through red hair. Kagami groaned into Tetsuya's lap.

"I know, but what do I say to him? I don't think I can fix this," Kagami said, and it was true. Aomine's pride was enormous but, as Kagami had recently found out, extremely fragile, and Kagami had smashed it.

"Well, you definitely won't if you don't talk to him," Tetsuya countered. Then he sighed. "It's not going to be fixed overnight, Kagami. Aomine is a difficult person to be friends with, because deep down, he takes everything to heart. He's never dealt with rejection well, and I'm sure that the fact that we're dating is going to make it that much harder for him to get over it. It's going to take him time. But if you value his friendship, you need to do your part too."

Kagami knew Tetsuya was right. Despite the kissing debacle, Kagami really enjoyed spending time with Aomine, and it made him sad to think he had caused him pain.

"You knew he liked me, didn't you?" Kagami asked quietly, turning over in Tetsuya's lap to look at his boyfriend. Tetsuya was staring into the sky, mouth slightly downturned.

"That day, the first day he came to practice, I called Momoi," Tetsuya started slowly, every word deliberate.

"I told her what had happened, that Aomine had come all the way to Seiren just to play against you, but that I had no idea why," Tetsuya looked down at the redhead, "So she told me. Told me how Aomine had finally found someone who he liked who might actually like him back. And then she asked me… if I would help push you in the right direction," Tetsuya looked back up, but his hands had gone still in Kagami's hair.

"It broke my heart, but I knew that I would do anything to make you happy. If that meant setting you up with Aomine, then that's what I would do. I thought I could handle it, I really did. If I just gave myself a little more distance, a bit more time to come to terms with the fact that you would never belong with me. But then…" Tetsuya trailed off, his voice trembling slightly.

"Then you saw the kiss," Kagami finished, reaching a hand up to swipe a thumb across Tetsuya's cheek bone.

"Then you had to go and be so typically Taiga and leave your raincoat in the damn gym," Tetsuya replied finally, a small grin stretching across his face. Kagami pouted.

"Tetsuya, you're so mean," he whined, flinging his arm to the side dramatically. Tetsuya let out a laugh, airy and bright, and Kagami grinned up at him.

"Just because we're dating doesn't mean you're any less of the idiot you've always been," Tetsuya replied lightheartedly, fingers scratching at Kagami's scalp.

Kagami sighed happily.

"Yeah. I know."

But that was OK.


End file.
